JOBURG - As the EcoMobility World Festival enters its final week, government officials are hailing the initiative as a success.

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The festival comes to an end on 31 October and Executive Mayor of the City of Johannesburg, Parks Tau is expected to summarise the achievements and impacts of the festival in a press conference later this week.

City of Johannesburg MMC for Transport, Christine Walters, said the festival had achieved its objectives and in some instances exceeded them.

“I am sure I can say that there is a citywide consensus that for our city to be sustainable, car use must be reduced, especially in CBD areas like Sandton,” she said.

“We have had a month-long dialogue and debate among stakeholders and residents, and the feedback from these engagements and social media has mostly been positive.

“The criticism we received from some quarters has also been constructive and we have taken it as a basis to consider changes where the public feels are needed. We should also confirm that Sandton has remained accessible during the course of the month.”

The festival will close with an Eco-block party on West Street from 12pm until late on 31 October. This is free and open to all residents, and will feature big screens where people can watch the Rugby World Cup final and the popular soccer Soweto derby between Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs.

Residents attending the party are encouraged to use park-and-walk facilities at Innesfree Park or George Lee Park, or the park-and-walk from the rooftop at Sandton City.

Meanwhile, the Gautrain has also added three additional services, going north, east and south from Sandton with the following schedule on 28, 29 and 30 October: